Although styrenic and styrene-containing polymeric materials are adequate for many purposes, fire studies have shown that these materials could be improved with regard to two factors in flammability: (1) flame development and (2) smoke emission. A paper entitled "SMOKE GENERATION FROM THE BURNING OF POLYMERIC MATERIALS" given at the 32nd Annual Technical Conference of the Society of Plastic Engineers held at San Francisco in May, 1974 discussed this situation and the various additives which have been incorporated into styrene-containing polymers, and arrived at the conclusion that flame and smoke inhibition are, in many cases, mutually antagonistic. Another consideration in this field is the desirability of retaining the color, appearance, and mechanical properties of the polymeric material intact, while nevertheless inhibiting flames and smoke evolution in the polymer. Hydrated magnesium oxychloride has been used as a massive fire resistant coating on structures, and has been incorporated into neoprene foam as a flame and smoke inhibitor.
Accordingly, it is the purpose of this invention to provide compositions of aromatic group containing polymers which will be inhibited both against smoke evolution and also against flame. Also, from a marketing standpoint, it is the purpose of this invention to provide such compositions which will not be greatly altered in appearance, color, or physical properties from the uncompounded basic polymers contained therein.